According to the release, the standard was developed after research showed that half of students regularly delayed or avoided using the restroom due to inadequate cleanliness of facilities.

Mike Bone, director of the British Toilet Association, said: "Poor school toilets are newsworthy and they have a direct impact on the health of pupils. Although many authorities responsible for providing toilets in education care about their pupils and provide them with excellent facilities, we believe that it is not purely a question of cost but commitment to the required standards of provision."

Delaying restroom visits can lead to health problems like bedwetting and constipation and poor restroom hygiene can lead to urinary tract infections, the release stated.

In addition, if students do not want to use the restroom, they may limit their liquid intake, leading to dehydration, the release noted.

Steve Wright, chairman of the British Cleaning Council, said: "Children deserve clean, safe, well-equipped and accessible toilets, yet many schools are failing to provide this. Poor hygiene in loos can lead to increased infections such as bacterial diarrhea and Hepatitis A; improving school loos may seem trivial, but it plays a crucial role in pupils'' attainment, health and well-being."